Teachers do so much more than just teach.

And on top of EVERYTHING else we have going on, we are a resource to our entire school and community. We are constantly helping our schools better understand autism, helping our staff better serve our students, and helping our parents gain access to resources that can help our students at home. One of my own personal goals this year was to become a better resource to other teachers, my assistants, and my families that I serve. Here are some of my favorite go-to resources when I’m asked to help in my school and community. There’s something for everyone here; teachers, parents, and paraprofessionals! 

Staff

We talk about staff training alllll the time around here. It’s a vital part of what we do. Having a resource guide for staff to be able to look back at and get answers from is such a time saver. The Autism Helper’s Paraprofessional Training Manual Part 2 is filled with all kinds of great info for your assistants. User friendly, too!

Your School Community

Reach out! Share about autism to your school’s students! The more we share, the more understanding and acceptance we spread. One of my favorite things to do is share with classrooms about autism. I share any resources I can with my colleagues, so even if I can’t get in to teach a lesson on autism, I can still equip the teacher with knowledge.  You can also make a big difference throughout your building by sharing books and facts about autism. The Autism Helper’s Autism Awareness Unit is one of my favorite tools for high-impact, yet low prep. 

Parents

I love learning from parents. They are experts on their children, and should be treated as such. It’s when parents and teachers work as a team that great things happen. Autism is tricky to navigate. I’m always trying to share new research, community resources, and strategies that work in the classroom with parents. I have a personal goal to share at least one resource a month to parents. I share much of the resources via SeeSaw (a parent/teacher communication app), but I send home a few things, too. One of my favorite things to send at the start of the year is this Autism Strategies Parent Packet. It’s easy to read, easy to follow, and it has strategies that are easy to put into use right away. 

Yourself

I know, it sounds silly, but take care of yourself, too. There are tons of resources you’ll find helpful from The Autism Helper, but my most favorite are the homework packs and curriculums (I know that’s really like 14 things, but I can’t help myself!). I love that they make my life so much easier. Everything is leveled, ready to go. It’s print and done. I can easily meet the needs of allll of the diverse learners I have under my care. That, to me, is a huge win. I copy everything I need at the start of the year and my prep is done. Such a time-saver!

Happy resource sharing!